Designed specifically for the pursuit of art practices and the study of art history and arts management, the department facilities are located in one of the best-equipped physical plants in the country. The programs are directed by a faculty of professional artists and scholars dedicated to their students and to the pursuit of their own creative and scholarly work. Students also have access to developing new technologies in a number of areas. It is the departmental philosophy that a grasp of the history and theory of art is indispensable for the studio major and that creative activity is invaluable to the student of art history.